Comments on: Independent 7759 by Morph

By: Morph

Morph — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 07:50:06 +0000

Thanks everyone. We wrestled a bit with News International = NI, which is not in the dictionaries but of course widespread in news coverage – and doesn’t seem to have caused problems.
As Kathryn’s dad predicts, I don’t really want to discuss football at the moment, but re Lenny’s point, I can’t even spell Szczeczczszny, never mind work it into a clue!

By: Allan_C

Allan_C — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 06:33:51 +0000

Never got LEGALESE or GOAL KICKS, though I guessed the second word of the latter was ‘kicks’. Otherwise a fairly straightforward solve with one or two answers which only came after some thought, e.g BIAS-CUT.

A typo in the blog, I think, for 17d – should be DETENTE, as the explanation makes clear.

By: Wil Ransome

Wil Ransome — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 22:47:40 +0000

Never got BIAS-CUT as I’d never heard of it (but I’m sure should have). I went to electronic aids and the only thing offered was the incomprehensible bear-cat, so I stuck it in and hoped for the best.

Mostly a fairly easy crossword, but a very good one. Morph has had a tendency to prolixity in the past, but here he was nicely concise.

I agree with NealH — displayed seems a bit questionable as an anagram indicator.

In the blog the answer for 17dn seems odd.

By: Lenny

Lenny — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 12:08:40 +0000

Thanks Neil. There was a lot to enjoy here from Morph, particularly the digs at the News of the World. There were plenty of hidden words to get started on but the clues to Esplanade and Grebe were of high quality. I also liked the clues to Enteritis and the triply-defined Ta-ta. I was also grateful for the clear wordplay for Lapsang Souchong that enabled me to spell it correctly.

I struggled with my last three. Bias cut was difficult to get, even if you immediately think of the biscuit meaning of Hobnob. The wordplay of Legalese was very tricky. In Goal-kicks, ex-goalkeeper David Seaman was a bit of an anachronism for a setter who obviously prides himself on his topical references

By: Kathryn's Dad

Kathryn's Dad — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 08:51:39 +0000

I really enjoyed this one – just right for a lazy bank holiday morning.

Morph is very often politically topical and I loved the News of the Screws references here. I thought LEGATEE and LEGALESE were cleverly clued but there was plenty to enjoy elsewhere too.

If I well remember Morph’s football allegiance, and given the events at Old Trafford yesterday, it would perhaps be cruel to mention that David Seaman was also Arsenal’s goalkeeper for many years … Never mind, he can always turn to the crossword editor for sympathy.

Fine puzzle; thanks for blogging it, Neal.